Apparatus for the speed regulation of engines



Aug. 9, 1932. .v L. COLLINS 1,870,794

APPARATUS FOR THE SPEED REGULATION OF ENGINES Filed Marh 30. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN Y f- I L fl /i273? Aug. 9, 1932.

L. L. COLLINS APPARA'iU FOR THE SPEED REGULATION OF ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1929 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE LESTER LVGOLLINS, F FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA, AS SIGNOIR' TO CHICAGOQPNE'U IVIATIG TOOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY j APPARATUS FOR THE SPEED REGULATION OF ENGINES Application filed March 30, 1929. Serial No. 351,253. 7

This invention relates to the regulation of engines in response to the load or demand upon the same. While capable of general application it has been developed with particular reference to engine-driven pumps and compressors, especially the steam-driven type in which the speed of the engine is controlled by adjusting or varying the steam cut-off.

One object of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved form of control mechanism. Another objectis to combine the usual speed governorwith load responsive apparatus in a single regulator device. Other objects will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In order to illustrate the invention one concrete embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: i n

Fig. 1 is an end elevationalview of the regulator apparatus indicating diagrammati cally a portion of the: engine for driving a pump or compressor; and I i I Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly broken away and partly in section of the reg- 1 ulating apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The embodiment of the inventionchosen for the purpose of illustration indicates diagrammatically at A a portion of a steam engine having a shaft a arranged in any known or desired manner to vary the cut-ofl of the valves, engine A being arranged to drive a pump or compressor (not shown). The regulating apparatus is supported upon a base 3 forming a part of the engineframe and comprises a casing 4111 which is slidably mounted or reciprocatory movement a rack: 5 which operates a pinion 6 on shaft T'Which carries a sprocketor wheel 8 for operating a chain or belt 9 encircling a sprocket or wheel a,

on engine control shaft a. An idler 10 is pro:

vided to adjust the tension of belt or chain 9. The movement of rack 5 is controlled :by hydraulic means which maytake the form .of

the well-known Mason regulator in which a piston 11 moves in a cylinder 12 in response to fluid admitted to and vented from the cylinder by a pilot valve 13, piston 11 being directly connected to rack 5. by rod 14. Pilot valve 13 is secured to a floating lever 15 which so is pivoted at one end to a bell crank 16, the i Rod 19 has a fixed stop in the form of a angular positionof the latter being automatically determined by a cam slide member 17 secured to piston rod 14 andmoving with the latter. Bell crank 16 and cam slide 17 provide compensating means for returning pilot valve 13 to neutral position after the movement of floating lever 15.

- Means responsive both to the speed of the engine and to the demand upon the pump or compressor operated thereby are provided fore described. Both such means are arranged mdependently to actuate the floating lever 15 which controls the position of pilot 560 forcontrollingtheengine speed through the Y regulator apparatus and connections heretovalve 13. The speed responsive means are mountedupon a bracket 18 projecting from casing above lever 15 and may be of any suitable ordesired type. A fly ball governor mdicated generally at B is illustrated which may be driven'from the engine shaft by a belt Z), the governor having a rod 19 extending downwardly therefrom and preferably eX- tending through a perforation in lever 15.

washer or shoulder above lever 15 and an adjustable stop which may take the form of a nut 21 disposed beneath lever 15. A coil spring 22 interposed between stop 20 and lever 15 yieldingly holds the latter in engagement with stop 21 but'permits upward movement of the lever. I

The pressure responsive means include an arm 23 pivotally mounted in the lower por-- tion of casing 4 for limited movement. Pressure fluid. from the receiver (not shown) supplied by the pump or compressor is admitted through a pipe-24' beneath adiaphragm-25 having a plunger 26 engaging arm 23 r to move the latter upwardly. Upward justable weights; 27 and byv an adjustable stabilizer which includesa rod 28 pivoted to arm 23 and having-a sleeve extension 29' spring 32 is compressed.

movement of the arm 23 is opposed by ad- 5 scopes with a-free sliding'fit. The length of rod 36 is adjustable so that the same maybe arranged to engage rod "34 when arm 23be gins its upward movement,

From the above it will b'eap arentthn the control apparatus for theenp-ine is sim: A. L C) plified by causing both the ovei ispeed gov ernorrand the pressureresponsive apparatus 'to operate througlrcne and thesame hydraulic regulatorthereby providingan exact andlhighly fiQ ible adjustment o'f-thecontrol shaft of the engine, that the'connections are such that the pressure and speed governor's may operate independently, and that the ap' ,paratus issimple, compact,positive in operationand conveniently arranged for adjustment and repairs. I

l/Vhile theinvention has beeniherein shown and described in what is now considered to be a preferred form, it is to beunderstood thatthe invention is not limited to the spe-' cific details thereof, butcoversall changes, modifications and adaptations scope of the appended claims. j a

{I claim as my. invention V 1.'Regulating' apparatus actuating means for the control member of .the engine, hydraulie mea ns for operating said actuating means including a pilot valve, a lever for actuating sa d valve, compensating meansfor restoring said valve to neutral position after movement of said'lever, speed responsive means connected to sa d lever .tovmove the latter ln opposite (l-l'fQCtlOIlS, and

pressure-responsive means having a loose connection to the latter so as to move the same in one direction only. i e r 2. Regulating apparatus for the driving engine of a pump or compressorcomprising actuatingmeans for the control memberof the engine, hydraulic means for operating nection to the latter so as tomove the same in one direct on only, the connection between said leverand said speed responsive means being yielding in the direct onin which sa d lever may be moved by said pressure responsive means.

. z 3. Regulating apparatus for the drlving within a for; the driving engine of a pump or compressor compr sing engine of a pump or compressorcomprising actuating means for the control member of the engine, hydraulic means for operating said actuating means including a pilot valve, a lever for actuating said valve compensating means for restoring said valve to neutral position after movement of said lever, speed regulating meanshaving a rod providing stops on" either side of said lever, a spring engag ing one of said stops and yieldingly vmaintaining said lever in engagement with the otherof-said stops, a'weighted arm, means responsive to thepressure developed by said pump or compressor for moving said arm against theweights thereon, and a loose connection between said arm and said lever for eifecting movement of the latter in the direction permitted said spring.

4. Regulating apparatus for the driving engine oi a pump or compressor comprising actuating means for the a control memb1';'0 the engine, hydraulic means for operating said aouating means including, a pilot valve, a lever for, actuating said valve, speed responsive means having a 'rod extending through a perforation in said lever and provided with stopsj'on opposite sides thereoti a coil spring encircling said rod and engaging one of said stops and yieldingly maintaining said lever against said otherstop, a weighted arln, means responsive to the pressure developed by said pump or compressor for moving said arm against -the weights thereon, and telescopingfinemhers entendingfrom said lever and said arm respectively and arranged to transmit movement ofthe latter in the direction" permitted .i ii d Sprin A 5. Regulating apparatus forthe driving 7 engine of a pump or compressor-comprising ,-whereby movement of the latter is effected Qs'aid actuating. means including a pilot valve,

a leve'refor actuatingsaid valve, compensati meansfor restoring saidvalve to neutral position after movementot said lever, speed. responsive means connectedto said lever to move the latter in opposite directions, and pressure responsive means having a loose cononly when said arrnmoves towardsaid lever, and adjustable means for. yleldingly resist- Ving movementlof said arm towardsaid lever.

*6. Regulating apparatus for the driving a levertfor actuating said valve, speedrespons ve-means having-a rod extending through a perforationin said lever and provided with stops. on opp'ositesides thereof, and a coil spring encircling. said rod and engaging one v of said stops and yleldingly maintaining said lever against said other stop, a loaded arm, means responsive to the pressure developed by said pump or compressor for moving said arm against the load thereon, a loose oonneo- Y tion between said arm and said lever whereby movement of the latter is effected only when said arm moves toward said lever, and adjustable means for yieldingly resisting movement of said arm toward said lever.

Signed by me at Franklin, county of Venango, State of Pennsylvania, this 28th 7 day of March, 1929. LESTER L, COLLINS. 

